"Door! Leave him alone! He's almost 18! He deserves his own life!"

"That's where your wrong! He has an obligation to this family. Just like you do!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Dorin looked at his sister as she flumped down on the sofa next to the two zac's.

"Mercy, just, be careful you don't ruin your life right now."

"How would I do that?"

"Well."

"Oh say it damnit! What about Taylor Dorin! Do you actually think..."

"Mey I don't know what to think anymore! How am I supposed to know?"

Mercy stood up, threw a couch pillow at her brother and ran to her room, slamming the door.

"Way to go door."

Dorin looked down at his youngest sibling.

Zac Hanson giggled.

"If It makes you feel better Door, Tay's still a virgin."

Dorin smiled.

The two best friends had somehow managed to convince the hanson family and the Dentra family to let Zac hanson spend the night, on Christmas eve.

"Wow! Presents presents..."

THe two chanted as they raced up the stairs.

"I wonder what the fat man will bring."

They whispered and giggled.

"GOOD NIGHT YOU TWO! NOW!"

They clicked off the light.

"D, did you think?"

They paused.

Against Zacs better judgment, he responded.

"Han, I'm saying yes to ONCE, no more, that's it."

Zac Hanson giggled.

"That's all dude."

"I know."

Mercy stood at the door of the house, grabbing a semi-heavy jacket out of the closet.

"To spite you? Oh, you think I'm going over to the hanson's house to get laid? Is that it?"

"Mercy! Watch your language."

"Well that's it isn't it."

"No it's not. And it's surprising to hear you talk about you or him for that matter."

"I don't get you."

"What about me don't you get?"

"Taylor and me has nothing to do with you. Sorry, that's life. And what Jem does with nikki, is none of your business either. Zac however, he still needs someone to tell him no."

"And you don't?"

"Don't what?"

"Mey you are too young."

"FOR WHAT! You seem to automatically assume."

"I'm not assuming anything."

"Not true. You thought me and Tay were..."

"That's not what I thought, I simply said be careful."

"Leave me alone for the time being Door."

He hoped that this christmas would be happier, cheerier then most. After new years was when the hard core stuff was going to happen.

They were booked for tons of interviews, appearances, and promotional shows. It would be interesting.

Mrs hanson opened the door, a startled look on her face.

"Can I talk to tay please?"

"Well, he's sleeping, but I spose if you came over here..."

She offered to let mercy in, and then went upstairs to wake her son.

Mercy heard thumping on the steps and looked up to see taylor, pulling on a shirt.

"What's the matter?"

He truely had concern in his voice.

"We need to talk dude, and now."

He had barely gotten his shirt on when she grabbed him a coat and tossed it to him.

"Taylor honey, where are you going?"

Taylor turned to look at his mother, who looked somewhat worried on the steps.

"Don't worry mom, I'll be back by morning, go back to bed okay?"

Taylor tried to respond.

"I know how you feel mey, I...."

"Then why the hell do I feel so stressed about everything? This house, the people in it!"

"Mey I don't..."

"It's not even like I should be you know! Because none of us are barely ever home anymore, so then why am I so mad?!!"

She pulled off the road. Man she must have been speeding. They were now in a small part of Tulsa, right out side city limits. Just an area where there weren't many people. Okay, so most of Oklahoma was like that unless you were in a town.

She sighed.

"Mey, I know how you feel, it's like, I completly understand, but it's not going to ease up for a while. You'll get used to it."

Mercy sniffed.

"What about the people in my house."

"Mey they are your family, not people."

"That doesn't help me any asshole."

"Don't get all mad at me."

"Sorry."

He looked at her. A small tear trickled down her cheek.

"Mey what put you in such an outrage tonight?"

She looked over at him, he was so, so damn persuasive.

"Everything."

"Like what's everything?"

"Dorin."

"Kay what about him?"

"Stuff he says. He thinks, well he thinks we're breaking apart I guess is what he thinks, yeah."

"What'd he say Mercy?"

He had the prettiest blue eyes.

"Tay, did you know you have gorgeous eyes?"

He chuckled.

"Don't side track me here mey."

"No really. They are like, looking into a box, and inside you can see all this stuff you wanted to know but couldn't cause you could never like, open the box.

"Mey, a little philosiphical maybe?"

"You do though. Your eyes are perfect, like this clear brilliant blue."

He blushed.

"What do you want me to say Mercy?"

"I don't know."

"You want me to say something."

"Tay how come I can't stand my family. Or my life."

"Mey, I think you just think that tonight. Like one of those nights. Because you were happy as can be earlier."

"I knew you were going to say that."

"Oh did you?"

"Uh huh. Your eyes flickered."

"LOOK D!"

They ran down the steps to the christmas tree, giggling and laughing, arguing who got to open which of Zac's presents.

"You guys want to wait til everyone gets here?"

They looked up at dorin.

"AWWW Door!"

"You can wait for mey and Jem."

"Jem's not coming."

"What?"

"He called last night while you guys were out, and he said he won't be able to make it."

Dorin exhaled. Something fishy.

"What about mey."

Zac looked up at his brother. Shrugging, he turned back to the presents.

"Han? You know where mey is?"

Just then the phone rang.

"Just a minute guys."

Dorin walked to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dorin honey, Tay said he'd be back this morning, and he's not here."

There was a long pause.

"Diana, I think Mey is with him."

She let out a sigh of relief.

"Do you know where they might have gone?"

"Nope."

"They're okay I'm sure Diana, they're fine."

Now it was his turn to drive, and she lay on the backseat sleeping quietly.

Taylor had to admit, Mercy was to the point. They had decided, that in order to talk peacfully, and away from everyone else, they would have to leave town. So they had.

And they had gone south, about an hour and a half to oilton, an extremely small town in comparison to Tulsa, 1,500 people to be close to the right number.

But it had a diner, and that's all they needed.

They had walked into the diner, sat down and talked about anything, everything. Then had gone to the car.

Taylor's mouth still felt hot.

They got a room across the street and spent the night there.

Indulging in something taylor wouldn't forget.

Not forever.

Taylor had not been completely apparent to what his partner had, and was willing to give.

He looked at her now, in a different light, he looked at her family, her friends, and her life, in a different light now.

So now what?

Taylor drove through the streets of Tulsa, empty streets went by.

What really would they do? This had to mean something.

Mercy, for the longest time had insisted they were nothing but, well, good good friends. Taylor however, and the rest of the world thought differently. Maybe it was denial.

So what was she going to say now?

Taylor pulled onto the street in front of the Dentras.

The morning was crisp, and the snow that the week before had produced lay crunchy on the ground.

Stopping in front of the house, he looked up at it.

He realized then, that the Dentras had much to offer. Friendship wise. They had gone through more then imaginable, and still lived life to spirit. Problems surely still existed, only those too, they hid well.

Looking back at Mercy on the seat, he sighed.

Opening the door to the car, he stepped out into the street, wrapping his arms around him and moving to the door.

He looked towards the door, and paused, as he watched his breath come out in short white puffs.

"What were we thinking?"

He acted shocked. He turned around to the car. Staring at it for a brief time, he turned back to the house.

Shrugging, he walked to the steps.

Dorin paused.

"Zac get it real quick, I'm on the phone."

Zac raced to the door.

"Heya Tay? S'up?"

The cold looking figure stepped in from outside.

"Hey Diana, can you hold on for just a minute?"

Dorin set the reciever on the counter.

Walking to Taylor, he whispered.

"Where were you? And where is mey?"

Taylor looked worried.

"Long story?"

"Your going to tell me all about it."

Dorin walked back to the phone.

"Diana, yes, umm, If he shows up here, I'll send him home alright?"

Dorin gently hung up the phone, then walking toward taylor, he pointed to the sofa.

"Sit."

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